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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26367823">Adjusting</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lookagingerpanda/pseuds/Lookagingerpanda'>Lookagingerpanda</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mean Girls - Richmond/Benjamin/Fey</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Internalized Homophobia, Other, Pre-Canon, T because I use a few bad words, Unrequited Crush, Writing Prompt, not much comfort</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 09:09:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,183</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26367823</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lookagingerpanda/pseuds/Lookagingerpanda</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What are you?!<br/>You fucking monster!<br/>WHAT ARE YOU?!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Regina George/Janis Sarkisian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Adjusting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello I see you've come for some quick angst.<br/>Enjoy!<br/>D slur used once.</p><p>Prompt from an anon</p><p>Hi! I was wondering if you could do a prompt for post-8th grade Regina adapting to living without Janis's presence in her life?</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> It was dark. </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>What are you?</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <em> It was terrifyingly dark. </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>What are you?</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <em> This is all your fault!  </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>What are you?</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <em> You did this to her! </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>What are you?</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <em> You idiot! </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>What are you?</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <em> You coward! </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>What are you?</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <em> You almost killed her! </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>What are you?</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <em> Suddenly dozens of beautifully familiar eyes welling with tears and singing with anguish surrounded her.  </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>What are you?!</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <em> You fucking monster! </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>WHAT ARE YOU?!</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>Regina jolted up out of bed and nearly screamed. She was dripping in sweat. She groped for her phone and opened her contacts ready to call. She froze. <em> No </em> . That wasn’t an option anymore. She didn’t <em> need </em> that option. She didn’t <em> want </em> that option. There were <em> better </em> options now.</p><p> </p><p>She checked the time. 5:59am. Ugh. She hated waking up right before her alarm. Like every morning since right before her thirteenth birthday, she started her day with a shower, followed by doing her hair and make-up to the apex of perfection. Not a hair out of place. Winged eyes immaculately symmetrical. Highlighter and contour on point. Next was the clothes. All new. All expensive. All fitting her like a glove. Perfection.</p><p> </p><p>That’s what she had become. Perfect. In every way. The most popular. The prettiest. The best. The Queen of North Evanston Middle School. Little Miss Perfect. She looked back in the mirror and smiled smugly. She’d be Queen Bee at Northshore soon enough. She just had to keep the right people around her. Gretchen and Karen were her favorites so far. Karen was so <em> dumb </em> she’d follow along with anything no questions asked and Gretchen had <em> all </em> the gossip and seemed to say yes to anything Regina asked of her. They seemed like <em> perfect </em> little pawns. She glanced around her soon to not be room with smugness. To think she convinced her mom to trade rooms with her.</p><p> </p><p>But her smug thought was brought to a halt as she noticed a decal she had put up recently peeling off the wall. Her heart dropped and she rushed to cover the various lines and words drawn next to them. The little hearts over i’s making a knot form in her throat. She begged her mom to let her paint over it but the older woman said since they were switching soon it would be silly. As soon as her hands left the decal it flopped off the walk. Regina let out a frustrated growl and frantically rubbed her hands over the decal. For five minutes she fought with it until she caved and let it fall to the floor. </p><p> </p><p>Try as she might to avert her eyes they stayed glued to the wall. It started about four feet up the wall. Little lines with her name some and someone else's next to others. Janis was written next to all the green lines and Regina was written next to all the purple lines.</p><p> </p><p>Memories of them teasing each other as they raced to see who could reach 5 feet first. Janis did <em> of course </em>. Janis was still probably taller than her from what she knew because Regina hadn’t grown since the last time they measured themselves those few, but seemingly long months ago. That last time when Regina almost let her feelings get the best of her.</p><p> </p><p>Her eyes trail over the little notes written along with the lines. Her heart clenched and the knot in her throat only grew bigger. She could almost see Janis standing against the wall smiling ear to ear holding out her arms for a hug like she always did when Regina had pouted about still being shorter. </p><p> </p><p>Before she could think about it more she stormed away. When she looked in the mirror one more time a word flashed in her head. <em> IDIOT </em>. </p><p> </p><p>Her breakfast was <em> awful </em> even though it was her favorite. She snapped at her mom and told her she talked too much. She didn’t mean it but watching her mom’s face fall made her thoughts quiet down. <em> COWARD </em>.</p><p> </p><p>At school she strutted the halls with her current group of six girls. There were too many of them. So she made a quick decision and asked the girls to text her what their favorite junk food was. One texted tacos. Ew. Two texted ice cream. Lame. Another texted chips. Ugh. But then there were two matching ones. Cheese fries. Though one was sent in emojis. She then asked them to text what her coffee order was. Four were wrong and the two that texted cheese fries were right. Again, one correct answer in emoji form. That was weird but tolerable.</p><p> </p><p>“Gretchen and Karen you had the right answers so you get to stay my friends. Becky, Hannah, Katelynn, and Brenda you’re out.” Regina said flatly.</p><p> </p><p>The four gawked at her. When they started to protest she just shot them a glare and reminded them of all the little secrets she knew about them. </p><p> </p><p>She looked at Gretchen and Karen who looked a little shocked. “Let’s go. There’s cheese fries on the menu today.” Regina said before heading down the hallway. Apparently most of her classmates saw because they were all gawking at her as well. There was also some fear behind their eyes as they parted like the red sea to let her through. Well except for one pair. There was a slightly pudgy boy with a Book of Mormon shirt on. There was a glare in his eyes. He looks familiar. Damian was his name. It almost made her trip but she kept her cool. </p><p> </p><p>Once they got past him. “Gretchen.” Regina said. </p><p> </p><p>“Yes Regina?” Gretchen answered excitedly. Regina blinked a moment. She still wasn’t used to hearing her full name.</p><p> </p><p>“Find out what you can on that boy we passed in the musical shirt. His name is Damian.” Regina said with a small smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course Regina.” Gretchen nodded enthusiastically.</p><p> </p><p>A feeling of power came over her as Gretchen's obvious need to please her became <em> very </em> apparent. She liked it. She liked it a lot. <em> MONSTER </em>.</p><p> </p><p>As Regina got ready for bed later that night she felt confident that her weird dreams would be done with. She sent a text to Gretchen and Karen about wearing pink tomorrow and shut her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> It’s so dark. It’s so cold. </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>What are you?</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <em> Someone’s crying. No they’re sobbing. </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>What are you?!</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <em> Those familiar anguish ridden eyes. Tears are falling, no flowing. </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>What Are You?!</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <em> The room is filling with tears. There’s so much pain. </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>WHAT ARE YOU?!</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <em> She’s drowning. Oh god not like this. Please no.  </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU?!</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <em> The eyes and water disappear. Only one set of glaring eyes remain. </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>DYKE!</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>Regina sat straight up in bed and screamed. She could feel tears flowing down her cheeks as she began to sob hysterically. Before she could process anything fully she felt arms around her and heard words being whispered into her hair. She only sobbed harder when she realized the only person she wanted holding her right now wasn’t even in Evanston. She was probably sitting on some lake painting happy trees.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! </p><p>If you would like a Rejanis prompt done please hit me up on the tumblr down below! My anons are on if that makes a difference. I'll be posting some other from this weekend soon.</p><p>https://why-do-i-like-you-ya-dumb-bean.tumblr.com/</p></blockquote></div></div>
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